PRAYERS FOR PATIENCE

In these prayers for patience below, we ask for our Lord’s help in
bearing with troubles, large and small, with this important virtue, one
of the
twelve fruits of the holy spirit
and the “companion of wisdom”, according to St. Augustine. God has
certainly shown a great deal of patience in dealing with fallen
humanity. These prayers remind us of how we can, and should, also try to
imitate Him in putting up with each other as He’s done with us,
especially in His Passion!

The first prayer references “the enemy,” Satan, the once
beautiful angel known as Lucifer, who fell from heaven “like lightning”
(Luke 10:18) after rebelling against God. Christ's suffering, in his
life among us and on the cross, helped to defeat not only sin and death,
but also the devil's pride.

O God, who didst crush the pride of the enemy by the
long-suffering of Thine Only-begotten Son: grant, we beseech Thee, that
we may worthily recall those things which in His tender love He bore for
us; and thus following His example may patiently endure all our
adversities.

The second of these prayers for patience, while a bit longer,
brings up many things we need to take into account before losing our
cool in trying situations:

Teach me, my Lord, to be sweet and gentle in all the events of
my life, in disappointments, in the thoughtlessness of others, in the
insincerity of those I trusted, in the unfaithfulness of those on whom I
relied. Let me forget myself so that I may enjoy the happiness of
others. Let me always hide my little pains and heartaches so that I may
be the only one to suffer from them. Teach me to profit by the suffering
that comes across my path. Let me so use it that it may mellow me, not
harden or embitter me; that it may make me patient, not irritable; that
it may make me broad in my forgiveness, not narrow or proud or
overbearing. May no one be less good for having come within my
influence; no one less pure, less true, less kind, less noble, for
having been a fellow traveler with me on our journey towards eternal
life. As I meet with one cross after another, let me whisper a word of
love to You. May my life be lived in the supernatural, full of power for
good, and strong in its purpose of sanctity. Amen.

And, finally, along these lines, we have a short prayer that can
be easily memorized and can come in handy when you’re having car
trouble, problems with your family, or difficulties at work:

My dearest Jesus, teach me to be patient, when all day long my heart is troubled by little, but troublesome crosses.

Patience is necessary in so many situations, such as while
waiting on a very slow line at the Post Office; in dealing with
relatives and co-workers; or in trying to find work in this troubled
economy. It is also an important antidote to anger. Our faith recognizes
patience as the corresponding virtue to fight that vice, which is one
of the seven deadly sins.

Keep in mind here, when we refer to anger we’re not saying that
you should never feel displeasure when mistreated nor try to defend
yourself or loved ones from injustice. It’s what you do with your anger
that matters. Do you let it simmer? Does it cause you to relish harsh
judgments? Do you nurse grudges, or can you, with God’s help and grace,
let them go?

As we read in the second of these prayers for patience above, it
is all too easy for us to become hardened or embittered by others’
slights against us. Scripture often warns us against this, most famously
in the
Lord's Prayer
and in Jesus' admonition to forgive sins “not seven times but seventy
times seven” (Matt. 18:22). As Christ also put it most tellingly “if you
do not forgive [others] neither will your Father in heaven forgive you
your offense” (Mark 11:26).

The late President John F. Kennedy once noted famously that which
we all already know: “Life is unfair.” And yet, as all three of these
prayers remind us, who knows more about the unfairness of this world
than our Lord? Unjustly executed for a crime He did not commit,
preaching a ministry of Love only to be spat on, scourged, and
crucified!

And yet he endured His misery on the cross for our redemption. As
these prayers for patience note, in keeping with St. Paul (Col. 1:24),
we are called to offer up our sufferings for salvation in imitation of
Christ. (We have some more thoughts on this subject
here.)

Thus, whether it’s a petty annoyance, such as having to wait online
forever at the Department of Motor Vehicles, or something more serious,
such as waiting to hear the results of a medical test, we are counseled
to show patience, so that we might better bear with equanimity both the
good and bad things that happen to us.

We also have to have patience with our own flaws and foibles as
well. As St. Francis de Sales once wrote “Have patience with all things,
but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in
considering your own imperfections, but instantly set about remedying
them--every day begin the tasks anew.”

This isn’t easy, of course. Jesus never promised that our earthly
pilgrimage would be. But if we turn to Him constantly in prayer and in
sincerely seeking His will, He’ll help see us through our rough patches
with His grace.

However, if you’re always impatient with others, and let anger
and resentments fester, you might wind up with more heartache (and
heartburn as well, perhaps) than you would have otherwise, in any case.
We hope these prayers for patience can help you keep calm as you offer
up your problems to the Lord!